In my thesis, I have focused on composing by way of adapting motifs from solos I have transcribed, in order to find strong melodies and basslines. I had a hard time selecting the material I would make use of and struggled with balancing what I created myself and what I drew upon from outside sources. Hence the thesis' title, Internal and external influence on a composition process, where I use the terms “internal” and “external” to illustrate two sources I based my composing upon. At the beginning of the process, I was heavily emphasizing the use of external material, to detach myself from my habits and hopefully write innovative music. The result was a harmony rich with dissonance that conflicted with my personal taste. I realized that I needed to abandon this principle and find a balance where external material merely inspired me but was directed by my internal inclinations.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is based on theories about thoughts, feelings and behaviors. It’s a collective term for methods that serve the purpose of helping people with problematic behaviors. In the introduction the relevant concepts for the study are summarized. Statistics show that mental distress among classical musicians is common. The purpose of the study was to examine how CBT can be applied in order to reach effective behaviors in musical practice and serve as a tool for managing problems. The basis of the study was hermeneutic. The material consisted of self-observations from the study of Mendelssohn violin concerto. These were analyzed from a CBT-perspective to answer the purpose. In the result the integration of CBT-interventions can be viewed in terms of concrete examples where the interventions have been formed to respond to a problem in the practice. In the discussion of the study the result has been analyzed according to what effect the CBT-interventions have had in the musical practice.

In this bachelor thesis, I explored vocal improvisation and the terms “out playing” and “in playing”. My ambition was to find new ways of exploring and developing my approach to improvisation, depending on the difficulty of the harmony. I presented a few methods that I have found useful in this process. Focusing on the upcoming graduation concert, I wrote two new songs with my thesis in mind and then applied the improvisation methods. I also practiced using the methods while singing jazz standards and older original compositions.

In the last part of the essay, I reflected on if and how the different methods helped me in becoming more confident as an improviser. I came to the conclusion that I prefered singing “out” over simple chords than “in” over difficult ones but that I needed to work on both to achieve my improvisational goals. I also described why choosing musicians that made me feel safe was essential and how the graduation concert was affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

What does environmental pollution sound like? – Self generative and randomized music interprets data is a master thesis focused on transforming data and letting it control music and sounds. If we create artistic outputs out of data, will it allow us to experience and understand the original data in a new way? The core, and the result, of this project where seven compositions, created and controlled by different environmental data which tries to explore the research areas of sonification and generative music by askingthe question: What does environmental pollution sound like?Generative music means that the music creates, develops and changes itself based on the established tools that this project provides. This thesis also focuses on the method of developing these tools in order to enable similar productions in the future. With previous experiences in using randomized events, to manipulate details in a production, this project delves deeper into applying the same technique to a whole composition. The seven compositions were formed in order to understand and reflect upon the research areas of sonification. Earlier research tends to approach the subject from a scientific perspective. The purpose of this project was to instead approach it from a more artistic perspective. Sonification means, the use of non-speech audio to perceptualize data which enables the possibilities as an alternative, or complement, to visualize the original data. Drawing from these seven compositions, this thesis also discusses generative music and sonification in general, as well as the opportunities, future research and authenticity of sonification.

This thesis explores the topic of narrative in the context of musical composition. Narrative based music will be presented in relation to three ethical questions of Criticism, Commonality and Metaphor, communicated to the listener through the medium of narrative. This thesis will demonstrate how I have used these three questions in relation to my own compositional methodology and propose a world-building approach to musical composition, specifically in relation to Delirium; the magic, imagined world in which all my music is connected through a central narrative.

During my studies at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm I have been exploring how I can develop as an improviser and as an ensemble musician. The main focus has been to use more arco playing, but also to sing unison and in harmony with the bass in order to broaden my expression. Another aim has been to compose music for my trio to implement my expanded way of performing.

When I began the master’s program, I wanted to return to my roots as a classical cellist. With the help from classical teachers I was able to improve my bass technique, especially with the bow, and use that as a way to further widen my improvisation and accompany- ment skills. As a bonus, my cello playing got a boost from this work and it eventually became another important part of my artistic voice.

The methods of my project have been to continuously test new ideas in my freelance work outside of KMH. I also interviewed fellow musicians to be able to reflect on whether my newly acquired knowledge and technique have had an effect on the way we make music together.

In the thesis I also reflect on my inspiration from other musicians and artists and my personal philosophy not being bound to certain musical genres. Instead I want to take impressions from many different kinds of music and be open to all the different techniques in playing double bass that comes with a wide range of styles.

An important result of this process is the making of the album “Arrival”, with Adam Forkelid on piano, Calle Rasmusson on drums and the Polish jazz violinist Adam Bałdych as a guest soloist. The record was released in March 2020 by the international jazz label Prophone/Naxos.

The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of three singers within the voice method The Voice Work. The study was conducted through qualitative interviews in the fall of 2019 through hermeneutic analysis and is discussed against a background of contemporary experience-based voice methods as well as voice research in popular musical genres. The result is presented in three chapters: The quest for authenticity, Body and psyche - a whole and Development. The interviewed singers perceive The Voice Work as a method with the aim of achieving authenticity in using the voice. The interviewed singers experience an accepting attitude to their voice. The Voice Work gives the interviewed singers an experience of the voice and the psychic being as a whole. The sound of voice and intonation is controlled to a lesser extent, helping them not dissembling the voice. The interviewed singers talk about experiences of a freer voice, inner presence, self-insights and how the work affected them emotionally. Through the breathing exercise and sounding that occurs in The Voice Work, the interviewed singers train to try to relate non-judgmentally to themselves and their body, they experience a relaxation in voice and breathing and that they sing more gently which they use in their vocal training. Interviewed singer Lisa uses the method in performances to reduce the focus on results. The interviewed singers also believe that the breathing exercise caused them to find a mental focus, which they lacked tools for in other voice methods.

This bachelor thesis aims to investigate whether methods of composition can facilitate the creative process and, despite frameworks, produce personal and unique results. It also aims to investigate how to develop a confident and unrestricted artistry. The essays process includes the use of 6 different methods for composition and artistic preparations for the project’s examining concert. These preparations included: body awareness, vocal technique, planning and rehearsals. The result was 4 songs written based on different methods. These songs are presented through a demo recording instead of a concert due to circumstances. The study showed that most of the methods facilitated the creative process without inhibiting a unique and personalized product. The process also led to the realization that the quest for creativity to be painless beneficially should be replaced by awareness that creativity requires courage. Through the process as well as its need for reflection and analysis, insights came about how to develop a confident and unrestricted artistry. Continuity in the practice of musical craftmanship, mental awareness and to work with body awareness to help enhance musical expression are mentioned as three main insights.

During the years 2018–20 I have included my own experiences of synesthesia and associated synesthesia in my composition processes, and in this essay I am describing the methods I have been using. I have tried to transform experiences of words, color, texture, form, and movement to music. This is, to some extent, inspired by the work of the pedagogue Gertrud Grunow at the Bauhaus art school in Germany 100 years ago, but also by my own earlier works with collages, graphic scores and dance. The ensembles I have been writing for have been varied idiomatically and in size. To me, as a composer, singer and improviser, but also as a pedagogue, synesthetic methods (both associative or concrete) are an endless source of inspiration and a practical way to approach the creative work. My role as a performing, improvising musician also takes a part of it since the improvisation activates so many different sections of the sensory system. Our different ways of learning, through the visual, audiative, kinesthetic and tactile, affect how we perceive the world. If you can learn to recognize different modes of individual perception, you will get a greater respect for your fellow humans, and also diminish the performance anxiety you might have in relation to the creativity. The texts and visual material I create in my processes help me to remember the original sources of inspiration. The purpose of wandering in between different media, idioms and sensations is to find practical ways to stealthily approach creativity.

In this project I wanted to explore new aspects of a percussionist ́s role in an ensemble situation. To do this, I wrote music for an eight-piece ensemble that was presented at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm. Targeting the vibraphone ́s idiomatic weaknesses by implementing and experimenting with different percussion instruments, effects and new techniques, I wanted to find new approaches and roles for myself as a percussionist.

The process of defining the vibraphone ́s idiomatic weaknesses as well as choosing the additional percussion instruments is presented. Three arrangements are then more thoroughly described; the instrumentation that was used, what roles the new instruments created and what impact these had both sonically and musically in an ensemble context.

Thereafter, I compare the new approaches discovered in the project to more conventional vibraphone playing. Here, both the pros and cons with implementing additional percussion instruments, effects and new techniques are discussed. Finally, I state how and why this project has changed the way I see myself as a musician, and how this transformation could impact how I approach the vibraphone in the future.

This paper is about my process of composing and performing music inspired by The Great American Songbook. Doing this via tools acquired by analyzing the works from composers like Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, Arthur Johnston and other composers from that era. I have analyzed and found common associations with form and harmony, the use of melodic content and often used clichés which I have incorporated in my own composing. It also deals with my progress to arrange and rehearse the music to present it in form of a concert at The Royal College of Music on the 6thof March 2020. I reflect about the process of composing and if I achieved the same level of freedom playing my compositions as I have playing jazz standards. I come to the conclusion that I feel as confident performing these tunes as I do music from The Great American Songbook.

In this thesis I will describe the process of working with a piano trio. The trio consisted of Jonny Ek on piano, Uno Dvärby on bass and, me, Jakob Bylund on drums. This process included choosing musicians, studying influences, rehearsing, and the selecting and arranging songs.

I will also reflect on my role as the drummer and band leader of the trio.

The main purpose was to investigate what happens to a trio that does not only rehearse often, but also puts in a lot of work in to studying their role models, such as Oscar Peterson trio and Ahmad Jamal trio, by listening and transcribing arrangements played by them.

By using these methods, the trio hoped to achieve a greater understanding of what these references were actually playing, and using that knowledge to develop its own interplay, dynamics and sound.

The impact of role models is analyzed by comparing the Oscar Peterson trio and Ahmad Jamal trio to each other, and to my own trio, finding the uniqueness of each group as well as the similarities between them.

During this project I have learned a lot as a drummer, arranger and band leader. Because of our many rehearsals and the way we studied our role models, I have gained a deeper understanding of my tendencies when drumming. I’ve also learned that the drummer in a piano trio could determine the direction of the music with very subtle but efficient ways, and therefore has a lot of power and responsibility to take care of the music.

As a result of using these methods the trio managed to get a deeper understanding of why its role models sounded like they did and use that information to develop in their footprints.